Written by Professor Scott Lucas. A release of top-secret documents indicates that Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has exaggerated – and possibly lied – with his repeated claims that Iran is on the brink of a nuclear bomb.

Written by Professor Stefan Wolff and Professor Tatyana Malyarenko (Professor of Public Administration at Donetsk State Management University). . Just as the latest peace deal to stabilise Ukraine was being put into place, a bomb exploded in the city of Kharkiv, killing two people and injuring at least ten, while another was found and defused in Odessa.

Written by Dr Huw Macartney. Given the scandals, bonus increases and plummeting lending to small and medium-sized British businesses, reform of the banking system is likely to be a hot topic in the run-up to the general election. It is not surprising then that Labour has launched its plan on banking reform, which proposes measures to improve competition within the banking sector, lending to smaller businesses, and the culture of banking itself.

The University of Birmingham's China Institute is marking the Chinese New Year with the help of some world-class musicians.Pianist Di Xiao, cellist Jiaxin Lloyd Webber and guitarist Xiefei Yang will perform in the University's Bramall Music Building to staff, students, partners and members of the Chinese community from across the West Midlands and beyond. The musical trio will help celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Sheep with traditional Chinese music that is set to transport the audience to the land of dragons and emperors.